Book Review for The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

 

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Published:  February 17, 2026 by William Morrow

Genre:  Historial Fiction, Magical Realism, Books About Books

Taken from Goodreads:  From New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn comes a gorgeously written fantastical adventure which poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Welcome to the Astral Library, where books are not just objects, but doors to new worlds, new lives, and new futures.

Alexandria “Alix” Watson has learned one lesson from her barren childhood in the foster-care system: unlike people, books will never let you down. Working three dead-end jobs to make ends meet and knowing college is a pipe dream, Alix takes nightly refuge in the high-vaulted reading room at the Boston Public Library, escaping into her favorite fantasy novels and dreaming of far-off lands. Until the day she stumbles through a hidden door and meets the Librarian: the ageless, acerbic guardian of a hidden library where the desperate and the lost escape to new lives...inside their favorite books.

The Librarian takes a dazzled Alix under her wing, but before she can escape into the pages of her new life, a shadowy enemy emerges to threaten everyone the Astral Library has ever helped protect. Aided by a dashing costume-shop owner, Alix and the Librarian flee through the Regency drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the back alleys of Sherlock Holmes and the champagne-soaked parties of The Great Gatsby as danger draws inexorably closer. But who does their enemy really wish to destroy—Alix, the Librarian, or the Library itself?

 

My Thoughts: Imagine disappearing into a book and escaping from the life you are living, that sounds like every reader’s dream.   That is what the Astral Library offers.   I love that the library protects the patrons that choose to live within the pages of a book.  

The Astral Library took me on an adventure through books, art, and video games.   Many books of different genres, eras, and storylines were mentioned, and I enjoyed visiting them with Alix and the librarian.    The places visited came alive as the patrons walked through them, met the characters, and became part of the story. 

Thank you William Morrow for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Meet thatAuthor (taken from her website):  Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye,” and “The Briar Club.” She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. “The Astral Library,” releasing in 2025, is her first foray into magical realism. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with their two rescue dogs.

 Photo credit: kelseyedwardsphoto.com

Spotlight for Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove

 

Murder Will Out by Jennifer K. Breedlove

Published:  February 17, 2026 by Minotaur Books

Genre:  Cozy Mystery, Paranormal, Mystery Thriller

Taken from Goodreads:  Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award winner Jennifer K. Breedlove brings coastal Maine to life in Murder Will Out, a lighter, modern gothic mystery that's as atmospheric as it is heart-warming.

Come for the memories. Stay for the murder...

Little North Island, off the coast of Maine, is so beautiful it could be a postcard. Organist Willow Stone cherishes her memories of childhood summers spent on the island with her godmother Sue... even though her visits ended abruptly, and she hasn't seen or heard from her godmother in over fifteen years. Until a letter from Sue—and word of Sue’s death—brings Willow back to the picturesque island.

The islanders rarely mention Sue without also bringing up Cameron House, and the controversy around Sue’s unexpected inheritance of the sprawling mansion. When Willow overhears someone threatening the next heir to the property, she starts to question whether Sue’s death was really an accident, and can’t help but wonder whether someone on this sleepy island is willing to stop at nothing—even murder—to claim Cameron House for their own.

Through Willow’s eyes, as well as those of others on the island, a mystery unfolds that keeps drawing Willow back to Cameron House and the very real ghosts that walk its corridors.

 

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Book Review for When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

 

When I Kill You by B.A. Paris

Published:  February 17, 2026 by St. Martin's Press

Genre:   Mystery Thriller, Suspense

Taken from Goodreads:  The multimillion-copy and New York Times bestseller B. A. Paris returns with a triumphant, unsettling new suspense novel.

Who is watching Nell Masters?

Nell Masters is certain someone is following her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise when she travels to and from work, there are silent calls to her office, and a huge bouquet of flowers arrives without a card. And Nell has a reason to be looking over her shoulder, because she has a secret that she’s hiding from everyone in her life, including her new partner, Alex. But Alex also has secrets of his own.

Fourteen years earlier, when Nell went by the name Elle Nugent, she witnessed a student, Bryony Sanders, getting into a stranger’s car. When Bryony was found murdered, Elle became obsessed with finding the person responsible. She was convinced she knew who it was and her fixation with Brett Parker, the man she accused, led her down a dangerous path . . .

Now, Nell tries to convince herself that this unnerving feeling of being watched is all in her mind. Has someone from her past discovered her new identity? Has the stalker become the stalked? Or is there something even more deadly at play?

My Thoughts: B.A. Paris never disappoints.   The suspense, the twists and turns, the quirky and unique characters all keep me turning pages and not wanting to put the book down.   I never quite knew what to believe and where the story was going to take me.  The ride was intense and full of the unknown, I did not want it to ever end.   I was biting my nails, reading one more chapter.  She has once again cemented herself into my must-read authors list. 

This is the perfect cold night, cuddle in front of a fireplace, and have a cup of hot cocoa book. When I Kill You is the perfect suspense thriller book. 

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet the Author:  B.A. Paris is the New York Times and Sunday Times Number 1 bestselling author of seven novels including the word-of-mouth hit, Behind Closed Doors.

Over 7 million editions of her work have been sold worldwide and her books have been translated into 41 languages. Her novels have been optioned for major screen adaptations with a film of The Breakdown, titled Blackwater Lane, in post production.

Before becoming an author, B.A. Paris worked as a bank trader and teacher in France. Today, she writes from her cottage in Hampshire, England, where she lives with her husband with visits from her five grown-up daughters. She has a newsletter baparis.com and is on social media @baparisauthor

 

 

Release Blitz for Crown of Campus by Lynise Reid

 

Crown of Campus by Lynise Reid is now live!

Randy Harrison is the town’s golden boy, star quarterback and recklessly charming playboy. He never expected Rachel Summers to matter. But she did.

 

Until one careless comment shattered everything. A mistake Rachel was never meant to hear.

 

She’s fought for her future, balancing college and motherhood.

And Randy? He’s effortless fun.

She knows how to protect herself. But Randy wasn’t supposed to be the one she needed protecting from.

 

Randy Harrison doesn’t lose. Not on the field. Not in life.

But Rachel Summers isn’t a game to be played, she’s a future slipping through his fingers. And if he wants her back, he’ll have to prove he’s more than his worst mistake.

 

Because love isn’t just worth fighting for.

It’s worth changing for.

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/44vcZAS     

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4qcd2da 

 

Meet Lynise Reid

Lynise is a wife, mother of three, and full-time paralegal based in Australia. In her free time, she loves to write and has just completed her first book in The Gods of Campus series, a captivating sports romance series that will leave you wanting more. She also enjoys watching anything sports related, horror movies and spending time with her family.

 

Connect with Lynise

Website | www.lynisereid.com   

Goodreads | http://bit.ly/47lp3H6   

Amazon | http://bit.ly/455Pe3b       

Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/lynisereidauthor/  

Book Review for The Hotshot by Piper Rayne

 

The Hotshot by Piper Rayne

Published:  February 17, 2026 by Piper Rayne, Inc

Genre:  Sports Romance

 

Taken from Goodreads:  Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan.

Actually, it wasn’t in any plan.

One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.

Enter Hayes Carlisle.

My best friend’s older brother.
Chicago Colts newest catcher.
And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.

So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.

But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.

Because he remembers how to make me laugh.
Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.
Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.
Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.

I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.
But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?

That might be the one thing I can’t do.

 

My Thoughts: It is almost baseball season and I am ready.    The Hotshot tells the story of the catcher of the Chicago Colts coming to town to play baseball and to change the bad boy label he earned last season.    Taking on a family is not in those plans, but when that family is the best friend of his sister, the woman that he has dreamed about for years, he does not hesitate to step up and help her out. 

The side characters are amazing and I cannot wait to read their stories.  I know that they each will get one and they will be just as wonderful as Hayes’ story.  His teammates are more than teammates, they are brothers.

Fake dating, best friends’ brother, baseball romance, surprise family…all in one book.   Everything about this story is fun and flirty. 

Thank you Valentine PR for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Review for Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward

 

Kingdoms of the Compass #1

Crown of War and Shadow by  J.R. Ward

Published:  February 17, 2026 by Bramble

Genre:  Romantasy

Taken from Goodreads:  An outcast burdened with a curse and a mercenary who's out for himself collide in this star-crossed, slow-burn, high-stakes romantic fantasy from #1 New York Times bestseller J. R. Ward.

In the dead of night, passions rise and empires fall.

Welcome to Kingdoms of the Compass.

The Fulcrum is failing, and demons are slipping into the mortal world, stalking the night.

No one is safe.

Especially not Sorrel. An orphan and an outcast, she’s spent her whole life within the walls of her small village, ostracized for her mystical abilities. She wants to survive…and maybe find somewhere she can call her true home. But Fate has other plans.

Sorrel has been chosen. Cursed.

She must cross the Badlands to return the Queen's crown and convince the fearsome female to save their world from destruction.

Well aware she’s no brave hero, Sorrel makes a dangerous deal with Merc, a brooding, commanding mercenary known only by his unscrupulous profession.

The deal? A night in his bed that she will never forget, in exchange for her safe passage.

But Merc has secrets of his own, and even though passion runs hot between them, enemies are around every corner, and danger and betrayal threaten at every turn.

Crown of War and Shadow is the first book in the Kingdoms of the Compass series.

My Thoughts:  There is so much hope in me for a new series from one of my favorite authors.   I picked up my copy and started reading it in the morning and by mid-afternoon I knew that I would not be putting it down anytime soon.  I quickly became invested in Merc and Sorrel’s relationship.  I was waiting for the twists and turns to come and oh did they come.   Crown of War and Shadow is just the first book and I cannot wait to see what comes next. 

Romantasy is one of my favorite genres.  Add in the twists and turns along with some darkness and I am hooked.  Kingdom of Compass series has so much potential and it will feel like forever before book two is available but until then I will just revisit Sorrell and Merc dreaming of what will happen next. 

Thank you Bramble for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Add to your MUST-READ list on Goodreads

Purchase your own copy on Amazon

 

Meet theAuthor (taken from her website):  J.R. Ward is the author of over thirty novels, including those in her #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling series, The Black Dagger Brotherhood. There are more than 15 million copies of Ward’s novels in print worldwide and they have been published in 25 different countries around the world.

After graduating from law school, Ward began working in healthcare in Boston and spent many years as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. She lives in the south with her incredibly supportive husband and her beloved golden retriever. Writing has always been her passion and her idea of heaven is a whole day of nothing but her computer, her dog and her coffee pot.

Visit the JRWard FacebookPage for more on the Brotherhood or email her at her contact page.  

Available Now!! Redeem by Jessica Buss

Title: Redeem

Series: Bering Sea Crabbers Book 4

Author: Jessica Buss

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Small Town; Second Chance; Secret Baby; Blue Collar; Past Abuse (FC); High School Sweethearts; First Everything; She Runs

Release Date: February 16, 2026

In fisherman tales, there's always talk about the one that got away… This is that story.

When they were in high school, Brock and Courtney felt they were destined to be together. They'd had their future all mapped out. Until a week before graduation, when two pink lines changed everything, diverting the course of the life they'd planned.

Young and scared, Courtney made the impossible decision to keep it a secret and leave their hometown, never planning to return, and breaking both their hearts in the process.

And for years, her plan works. Until her abusive father dies, leaving her mother rudderless in her newfound freedom. Returning home with her secret daughter is the only answer. But what will happen when she comes face-to-face with the past she's tried so hard to forget but couldn't?

Thirteen years after the only woman Brock has ever loved ran from the small Alaskan island they'd called home, he learns she's back—with a preteen daughter. Too many emotions and unanswered questions hang heavy between them. And when the answers are brought to light, the chasm between them widens further. Will it be possible for them to reconcile for their daughter's sake?

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Available Now!!! Forever Undone by J. Saman

 

Forever Undone by J. Saman is now live! USA Today bestselling author J. Saman delivers steam, feels, and laughs in this enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience romance about a hotshot single dad surgeon and the feisty nurse he'll do anything to protect. I never should have agreed to marry my older brother's best friend, but I was in a bit of a jam. Aston Hughes is gorgeous, arrogant, and irritatingly broody. The single dad is also the new trauma surgeon at my hospital and my temporary roommate. Two years ago, we shared a mistaken kiss during a blackout, and nothing's been right between us since. So really, I shouldn't have said yes when he suggested a marriage of convenience. But after leaving my bad ex behind, I discover I'm pregnant with his baby, and I'm scared. Aston offers to marry me as protection from my ex in exchange for helping out with his daughter, who needs more stability in her life after recently losing her mother. It's an unfortunate no-brainer. Only what starts as a simple business arrangement quickly turns messy. Heated. Soon he's no longer fighting with me but for me as he calls me his wife and claims my baby as his. Except nothing is that simple or easy for any of us. Now here I am, falling for the hotshot doctor and his daughter while our lives come undone around us. Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited http://geni.us/ForeverUndone Audible: https://bit.ly/3MbCWPW Narrated by: CJ Bloom and JF Harding Goodreads: https://bit.ly/43WmxVs